Sponsors

Author
Topic: Slick Shearing (Read 4340 times)

Do guys slick shear a lot? Last year I bought a heifer and the owner had me bring the heifer to his house and he slick sheared her in April. I was thinking that I would slick shear everything in March if the weather is in my favor. I live in Southern Il so the weather can get bad sometimes that late but usually it's not to bad. Do you see any problems with my idea?

The only problem I can see is that you might not get all the hair that you might want on her by summer time for shows. I would get a guard and take her hair down to 1" and see how that looks, if you want to take more off then you can. If you have a cooler or a nice barn, you might be alright slicking her off. We don't do it, but we do a pretty good shedding regimen for two weeks in the spring.

Logged

Shorthorn cattle and genetic opportunities available at all times. (515) 520 1972

The only problem I can see is that you might not get all the hair that you might want on her by summer time for shows. I would get a guard and take her hair down to 1" and see how that looks, if you want to take more off then you can. If you have a cooler or a nice barn, you might be alright slicking her off. We don't do it, but we do a pretty good shedding regimen for two weeks in the spring.

I wasn't happy with how much hair she had for the summer but the past owner of her said that it was partly because of the gentics (she was a Net Worth daughter if you know angus at all) But he said the main reason was so she wouldn't turn so brown. Or have the brown died hair on her.

The only problem I can see is that you might not get all the hair that you might want on her by summer time for shows. I would get a guard and take her hair down to 1" and see how that looks, if you want to take more off then you can. If you have a cooler or a nice barn, you might be alright slicking her off. We don't do it, but we do a pretty good shedding regimen for two weeks in the spring.

^ What Justin said.

FWIW, my dad's friend used to shear his steers every spring (March) down to about 1/2 inch. He didn't have a cooler, but he kept them in a barn, & brushed them like crazy, and he had pretty decent hair by August. The thing is, it was very well trained hair, which more important than just having hair, IMHO.

If dead hair is an issue, get a grill brick & rub the calf with it. Also, invest in some hair dye!

Romans 10:9-10... "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

I'm gonna mow off a heatseeker steer when he gets back from expo in february. Slicking them gets rid of all the old hair and then come summer the hair you're working with is all the same age. It will be better more consistant hair. It about makes a person want to ball when you do it, but i think it is the way to go.

Romans 10:9-10... "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

I might try slicking our steer this year, we're not going to show him a bunch, and he's not a barn burner, so it won't matter too much if his hair doesn't come back in full force. It makes me queasy when I think about doing it to our heifers though...ALL that hair...on the ground.

Logged

Shorthorn cattle and genetic opportunities available at all times. (515) 520 1972

Thanks everyone for the help. I was just wondering if the that extra month would help the hair out or if I would be better off not doing it. I just hate having that dead hair on a cow. I had a heifer a couple of years that I couldn't get all that brown hair out of her.